It’s time for another round of NHL rumours. We’re nearing the start of the conference finals, but other teams that are out of the mix are still in the headlines. Teams are looking to make some changes and some have already let go of their head coaches. This means we’ll see a number of new faces behind the benches of other teams. Some openings have already been settled, but others are still vacant. This edition of NHL rumours deals with one former coach that is in demand.
All NHL rumours come from the original source and are subject to change.
Strong indications this week Rick Tocchet will soon land another NHL head coaching job. Philly, Boston, Seattle believed to be among the top contenders. The Flyers want to be aggressive. Good fit.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) May 13, 2025
NHL Rumours
Former Head Coach Being Courted by Other Teams
Rumour: TSN’s Darren Dreger said that former NHL head coach Rick Tocchet could have a new gig soon. A number of teams have expressed interest in hiring the most-recent head coach of the Vancouver Canucks.
Analysis: Tocchet had plenty of success with the Canucks, but he and the team could reach a new deal. The former NHL All-Star is pretty much a free agent and a few clubs have lined up to try to land him.
Dreger mentioned that the Philadelphia Flyers, Boston Bruins, and Seattle Kraken are the three leading candidates to get the former head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Arizona Coyotes and Canucks. The TSN insider added that the Flyers are going to be aggressive in trying to get Tocchet. Dreger also added that heading to Philadelphia seems like a good fit.
Tocchet has a long history with the Flyers and a homecoming makes sense. The 61-year-old Scarborough, Ontario native began and ended his playing career with the team. Flyers General Manager Daniel Briere would love to bring Tocchet back to the fold.
What It Means
Pierre LeBrun recently added that the Flyers are closing in on trying to land Tocchet. A deal isn’t done, but things are headed in that direction according to the insider. LeBrun thinks that a deal could be done some time later in the week.
Tocchet recently finished his three-year tenure with the Canucks with a record of 108-65-27. He won the Jack Adams Award as the NHL’s coach of the year in 2023-2024 and helped Vancouver to a Pacific Division crown. The success didn’t rub off to the 2024-25 campaign and the two sides parted ways.
Tocchet has a career record 286-265-87 with a .510 winning percentage. If the Flyers hire him, he’ll replace John Tortorella behind the bench. Tortorella fired by the team with nine game remaining in the regular season. Brad Shaw served in the interim role to close out the season.
Both the Bruins and Kraken were highly-interest in Tocchet. However, it seems that the veteran head coach will be heading back to a familiar spot. The Flyers have a chance to move up the standings and have some talented young pieces in place like Matvei Michkov others.
Barring a last-minute push, the Flyers will have hopefully answered a big off-season question. This leaves Boston and Seattle left to wonder what’s next in their respective head coaching searches.
Main photo by: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
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